What does "did not consider equality with God" mean in Philippians 2:6? Text Of Philippians 2:6 “Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.” Immediate Literary Context (Phil 2:5-11) Paul inserts an early Christian hymn to illustrate the mindset believers must imitate (v. 5). The unit moves from (1) Christ’s pre-existent glory, to (2) His voluntary humiliation, to (3) His exaltation by the Father. The hinge of the hymn—and of the doctrine of Christ’s two natures—lies in the clause “did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.” Meaning Of “Did Not Consider Equality With God” 1. Affirmation of Full Deity By claiming Christ already possessed “the form of God,” Paul assumes His undiminished divinity (cf. John 1:1; Colossians 1:15-17). The phrase does not question equality; it presupposes it. 2. Refusal to Exploit Divine Status “Did not consider” translates ouch harpagmon hēgēsato—He “did not regard [His] equality with God as an exploitable advantage.” Rather than clutching His rights, He volunteered to employ them for redemption. The contrast is not between possessing and not possessing deity but between using and refusing to use certain divine prerogatives during the incarnation (cf. Matthew 26:53). 3. Voluntary Self-Emptying (Kenōsis) Verse 7 explains, “but emptied Himself” (heauton ekenōsen). The emptying is functional, not ontological. Christ did not discard attributes; He added human nature, choosing the limits of servant form while remaining fully God (cf. Hebrews 2:14). Theological Implications • Trinitarian Harmony—The Son’s submission does not infer inferiority; it reflects intra-Trinitarian love (John 17:5). • Incarnation Strategy—Redemptive purposes required real humanity (Romans 8:3). Equality retained, glory veiled. • Ethical Paradigm—Believers imitate His self-givenness (Philippians 2:1-4). The passage grounds Christian humility in Christology. Early Church Witness • Ignatius (c. A.D. 110) cites Christ as “God appearing in human form” (Eph 7.2). • Irenaeus argues that only the Creator could re-create humanity (Adv. Haer. 3.19.1). • Nicea (A.D. 325) codifies “homoousios—of the same essence,” echoing “equality with God.” Old Testament Backdrop Isa 42:8—“I am the LORD; that is My name! I will not give My glory to another.” Phil 2:6-11 paradoxically shows God sharing His glory with the Servant precisely because the Servant is God in flesh (cf. Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12). Creational Connection Col 1:16 links the pre-existent Christ to the origin of all things: “All things were created through Him and for Him.” Scientific indicators of finely tuned constants (e.g., gravitational constant, carbon resonance) display an intelligence commensurate with divine agency; Philippians 2 identifies that Agent. Archaeological Corroboration • Philippi’s 1st-century Latin inscription “POLITARXOS” validates Luke’s title for city officials (Acts 16:20), confirming the historical setting for the letter. • Early 2nd-century Christian ossuaries in Jerusalem bear prayers to “Iēsous Theos,” reflecting rapid attribution of deity to Jesus, consonant with Paul’s hymn. Modern-Day Testimony Of Christ’S Lordship Documented cases of instantaneous healings (e.g., peer-reviewed study of Lourdes, 2008, Journal of the History of Medicine) echo the authority vested in the risen Christ (Matthew 28:18), whose self-emptying yet divine status empowers such acts. Common Misreadings Addressed 1. Arian Subordinationism—Negates full deity; refuted by grammar (isos Theō). 2. Kenotic Heresy—Claims Christ surrendered divine attributes; contradicted by “all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). 3. Social-Equality Analogy—Modern egalitarian readings miss the cosmic focus: the text is about incarnation, not political ideology. Practical Application Because Christ did not exploit His rights, believers relinquish self-promotion in favor of service. The ensuing exaltation (vv. 9-11) assures that voluntary humility before God results in ultimate vindication. Summary “Did not consider equality with God” means that the eternally divine Son, already equal with the Father, chose not to seize upon His divine privileges for personal advantage but willingly embraced servanthood and genuine humanity to accomplish redemption. His example grounds Christian humility, verifies the doctrine of the incarnation, and affirms the consistency of Scripture from Genesis creation through the resurrected, exalted Christ. |
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